The end of something often signals a new beginning. In the automotive world perhaps no better example in recent years can be found than in Chrysler’s decision last year to bid adieu to the Sebring, thunderously criticized for its shabby cabin materials and uneven performance, which was replaced with the all-new 200. No mere rebadge job, the 200 proved head and shoulders above its outgoing predecessor in almost — almost — every measurable criteria.

View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-PicayuneNEW KID ON THE BLOCK: The 2012 Chrysler 200, which last year replaced the beleaguered outgoing Sebring, continues the automakerâs strategy of upgrading and overhauling the quality of materials found throughout the cabin. Below (from top-left): The 200's 'girthy' steering wheel; trunk badging; sporty roofline; analog clock; and tailored leather seatbacks.

Cabin materials, for instance, were vastly upgraded and with a few notable exceptions generated no small amount of praise from both critics and consumers alike. The smart use of low-gloss plastics went a long way in strengthening the interior’s overall upgraded appearance. Polished metal trim — not plastic designed to look like metal — provided an eye-pleasing accent for the center stack and elsewhere. Dash and console were given more than minor tweaks.

Bodylines were revamped to give the 200 a more muscular room presence while a dismally lackluster powerplant was replaced with an optional 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6.

Rebranded and reborn, the new incarnation of the Sebring, which on its best day seemed to earn praise only when the convertible model was selected as a rental car on vacations, seemed to reflect Chrysler’s new, post-bailout mindset, highlighted by a learning curve seemingly far more responsive to consumers.

No small part of this corporate culture shift can be traced to the then-beleaguered Detroit company’s merger with Fiat and the wise decision to give the Turin-based automaker’s fine Italian hand free reign in redesigning some of Chrysler’s more notorious problem children.

Like, well, the Sebring.

With the 200, the automaker seems to be saying, “OK, we finally get it.”

But that was last year. How does the 200 stack up more than a year into the game?
A little credit
Now that the initial welcoming cheers that greeted the Quasimoto-to-butterfly metamorphosis of the Sebring into the 200 had begun to fade in the grandstands, this compact midsize sedan must stand on its own four wheels. Long-gone are the bold “Imported from Detroit” TV commercials designed to rebrand the 200-nee-Sebring as a sort of entry-level Euro-tourer.

While Chrysler deserves credit where credit is due, it must also be noted that in the bigger picture the 200 is still barking up a highly competitive tree when matched against heavy-hitting rivals like the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat.

Virtually unchanged since last year, this year’s 200 still has many of the attributes that helped garner early praise but also some of the identical issues that can make toe-to-toe comparisons with competitors problematic. But at least on the surface most of the issues may be minor depending on consumer preferences. For instance, the 200 is indeed slightly smaller than its competitors, especially backseat head- and leg-room. Its smallish trunk, measuring 13.6 cubic feet, is by no means leader of the pack, but I found the short-deck trunk lid a fitting trade-off since it imbues the 200 with a more sporty profile.

Ditto for the trio of barreled driver’s-side instrument gauges and the “S”-logo emblazoned seatbacks in the same white, sporty accent stitching as that found trimming the leather seats.

A boxy dash and old fashioned trio of climate control knobs could stand updating — and they may well receive such in 2014 when rumor has it Chrysler will give the four-door transporter a total overhaul.

What keeps this vehicle in the midsize sedan game, however, are the very things my top-trim 200S test car brought to the table when a coworker and I were out on assignment. Not the least of which is the car’s impressive noise-dampening technology.

“The cabin is really quiet,” he said.

Soft-touch plastics that add a nuance of refinement also help lower internal cabin noise because inserted consoles like the quite handsome center stack fit snugly and, in theory, don’t shift and squeak over time.

Stitched padded-leather surfaces throughout the cabin, as well as leather seats and inside door panels featuring suede insets, plus a monochromatic black palette all work in tandem to distinguish the 200 by leaps and bounds from its infamously dodgy predecessor.

Time flies.

Hear yourself think
Powering the 200S down the highway with grace is a 3.6-liter V-6 powerplant, mated to a six-speed automatic tranny, that delivers 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. (With the exception of the S trim level, all 200s come with a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 173 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque.)

While the entry-level LX starts at a budget-friendly $19,000, moving three grades up to the top-trim S model will find MSRPs starting at around $26,980. (My test vehicle cost $29,170 but included options like GPS navigation and a power sunroof.)

In its sophomore year, the 200 remains a noteworthy turnaround sedan, decently competitive if not a spirited and altogether comfortable ride that whisks drivers down the road with the kind of performance and grace we long suspected Chrysler was capable of creating in a family transporter in this segment and price range.